Silence in the Halls
by Dragonflyy
Summary: The Titanic hit.  And Michielle finds herself alone.  So very alone.  She searches for her friends and manages to save some people along the way.  But can she save herself?  Short story.


**A/N this is a random story I started and finished within an hour. It's sad. But it's the Titanic.**

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My first thought was, _Dear god, I'm going to drown. _My long skirts hampered me as I attempted to run through the waist deep water. My husband had already left for the life boats, the coward, but I was trapped in steerage. The first class ladies hated me for that. I was always messing around down there, reading to children and such. I was, after all, the distant cousin of some distant duchess. I really didn't care. I knew why they had kept me around. I was like an ugly piece of handed down furniture, to be ignored and covered up, but not thrown away. I had been making shure that my friends in steerage had gotten to the lifeboats, when a young girl ran past me, not seeing me, screaming a boys name. I pitied her, the poor dear looked half frozen to death. I squared my shoulders, and attempted to maneuver up to the stairs. Finally managing, I grumbled about poor husbands, and noticed that the entire hallway was empty. I heard a gurgling, and my breath caught in my throat as the lights dimmed and temporarily went out. I grabbed the railing for support, gasping for breath, hysteria crawling up and down my spine. Then just as quickly as it began, it stopped, and the lights went back on. I looked down and moaned. The water level was rising. I continued to climb and passed through the gate without a problem. The halls were silent. Too silent. The groaning of the water entering the ship was all that could be heard. My breath and my steps quickened as I traversed down the hallway towards another set of stairs. I paused when I heard weeping. Turning around, I saw a child, about first class. A little girl about nine. I wondered about that. What was she doing in steerage?

"Mother! Mother!" She was crying, and pulled out a handkerchief. I pitied her for having to grow up so fast, as I did. Her mother probably corrected her posture daily, as mine had.

"There now dear. Where did you last see your mother?" The girl paused, considered.

"Well my lady, I last saw her running about in the ballroom, and I had snuck away for a snack in the kitchens, but I got lost." She shook her head sadly. "Mother will never forgive me for misbehaving" My anger grew at the first class. Why did we have to ruin the childish innocence? Hope shone within me, for I saw that this child had hope of surviving, and not ending up like a powdered up clone. She had fire.

"Here now, I'll help you find you're mother." I said reaching out my hand. She took it.

"Truly?" She asked, eyes lighting up.

"Truly." I replied, and smiled. My heart suddenly ached for my daughter, who had died of child pox just last year. I planned to have another one, if my husband was willing. But who was I kidding? My husband had not entered my bedchambers since our daughter passed.

"Come along now," I said, and before I could turn around, The mother ran shrieking down the hallway.

"Annabelle! Annabelle!"

"Mother!" Cried the child, and turned towards her mother. The lady's skirts were in tatters, and when she took her daughter into her arms, she was weeping, a strange occurrence. She was also stroking Annabelle's hair and muttering, "I promise, no more classes. No more posture, no more proper!" Annabelle looked at her mother. "Do you really mean that Mother?" The lady smiled, a beautiful and radiant smile of a mother to child. "I do my little Anna." She replied forcefully, kissing her brow. "Now let's get to the lifeboats. Here darling, put you're life belt on! Thank you my lady!" She added, turning to me. I smiled and waved. I had to go the opposite direction. I had to find my friend Sasha. My footsteps sounded alone. Another power waver, and my footsteps quickened. I rounded a corner, and gave a great cry. Sasha's husband, James, was lying against the wall, blood on his white life belt.

"James my friend!" I took him into my arms, and saw him take a breath.

"Leave me." He whispered painfully.

"Sasha! Where is Sasha!" I said, desperate.

"She, left. Life boats. I was with her and our child. Running to them. Got stabbed in the ruckus." He groaned, and my eyes watered. I knew he was leaving me. I knew the signs.

"James, when did you send her?"

"When the boat hit. Water everywhere. Dragged myself here before I knew I couldn't... Sent Sasha ahead." He clutched at my arms suddenly.

"Michelle. Take care of her. Watch her. Tell her…" His eyes, squelched shut, flung open in sudden pain. Tears formed in the electric blue depths.

"I love you Sasha" He gasped, and died. My dress, soaked with water, was now soaked with blood and tears. I wept for my lost friend. James was like a brother to me. I gently laid him to rest and saw the water rising. I had to go down this corridor for the stairs, but instead, I would go back the way Annabelle and her mother went.

"Farewell my brother" I said to James, and fled the hallway.

The water was rising more rapidly than I had expected. But I continued until I had reached the ball room. I was soaked and shivering, and was shocked to see my husband waiting anxiously.

"Michelle, darling, whatever are you doing in those dirty rags?" He said, astounded.

"Shut you're trap you beast" I growled, and he drew himself up, indignant.

"Really dear, I am you're husband, and you will treat me with respect!" I lost it. I yelled about what he could properly do with his respect using a word I learned from my steerage friends. He paled, and the remainder of the men in the room laughed at him. I started walking away, but he roughly grabbed my arm and swung me around. His hand struck my face, and I staggered backwards, tripping on my skirts. I fell, and he kicked me in the ribs.

"Dirty goddamn whore!" He yelled. Then he ceased, and I cautiously opened my eyes. I saw two men holding him back. Another was assisting me to my feet. I accepted his help, then marched over to my 'dear' husband, and punched him square in the nose. He fainted. The men lay him on the ground, and I spat on his comatose body, using another word I had learned.

"Michelle!" A familiar voice called. I looked up and praised the Lord. Sasha stood there, jostled by traffic, holding her twelve year old son in front of her, so he wouldn't get trampled.

"Sasha!" I returned the cry joyfully, running up to meet her.

"Where's James?" She asked me, holding onto a pole. I lowered my head. She looked away.

"I knew when he sent us ahead. He tried to hide it. But I saw. I saw." Sasha looked at me again.

"He told me to tell you he loves you." I said sadly.

"He is dead then."

"Yes my dear friend. He is dead." I clasped her shoulder. "You and your son should get to the lifeboats. I'll be along shortly."

"Michelle you whore!" my husband screamed. Sasha turned a pale face downward in his direction. I followed her gaze and saw my husband, livid with rage. I looked up, and saw the water. I turned to Sasha, and smiled. She looked at me shocked.

"I will deal with him. Otherwise, he will follow us. Go on ahead." She knew. She always knew. She kissed me on the cheek, her tears plain in sight.

"Goodbye my friend. Say hello to James for me." Her son looked from one to the other.

"Mama, does Aunt Michelle have to go somewhere?" He looked puzzled. Sasha stroked his hair.

"She's going to find Papa." She lied.

"Okay" The boy said, still puzzled. "Mama, are we still going to the boats?"

"Yes dear." Sasha choked.

"You be good for your mother. Do exactly as she says, and don't let anyone hurt her. Got it?" I said to him. He nodded bravely.

"Go" I said. Sasha gave me one last mournful look and was swept away with the current of people. I looked down as my husband called my name again. I descended the stairs slowly, and looked up at the beautiful dome. The water would break through. And my friend would be safe. My life had ended. No chance for a second child, no chance to break free. I had nothing to live for anymore. I looked coolly at my husband, who had a pistol leveled to my face. His breathing was heavy. Mine was calm. I knew, with only a dab of fear, he had gone mad. Foam spewed from his mouth, and we stood there for God knows how long. An hour mabye. Time didn't matter to me anymore. His insults were dim noises in my ear. I looked up at the dome cracking, and wept for the second time that night. It would be my last. My husband began to pull the trigger. I took a deep breath in…

And then the dome broke. Water poured onto us, crushing us, drowning us. Then, cold and burning in my lungs. I needed to breathe. At the same time, I knew it would be impossible. I saw my husband in the clear water, he put the gun to his own head, and shot. The sound was dim, but still in my ears. A warmth spread through my body. A knowledge I had done right by the world, and I was accepted. I looked beside me and saw only water. A reminder of what was. Our fancy table cloths floated through the air, catching currents. I looked down at my feet and saw my dress in tatters, but oddly beautiful I felt numb, yet comfortable. I sighed in contentment and closed my eyes. Then nothing. I faded away.

The warmth suddenly enclosed me, and I saw my body as a separate entity. I saw everything and nothing at the same time. I saw my husband, floating in the water, blood seeping from his head. I saw Sasha in the boat with her son, safe. I saw James, gently tumbling through the corridors. I saw Annabelle and her mother. I saw the dying people in the water. I saw a the girl from earlier kiss the boy's hand and release it to let the dead body sink into the dark ocean. I saw that she survived. Then a warm light shone upon my soul and I saw many others surrounding me. A sense of peace overwhelmed me, and I slept. I died.

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